F1 to start in April in 2016

[racingbradley]

FORMULA 1 SET FOR APRIL START IN 2016
The FIA are set to announce a more condensed Formula 1 schedule in 2016 with a view to helping reduce costs and minimise travel.

The season-opening Grand Prix is still set to take place at the Albert Park track in Australia, but the race is set to be scheduled to be run on 3 April, meaning the season will begin at its latest date since 1988 when the Brazilian Grand Prix at Rio de Janeiro ran on the same date.

http://www.gptoday.com/full_story/view/523709/Formula_1_set_for_April_start_in_2016/

Hmm we will need to use the F1 Boredom thread for much longer if this happens ;-)

[Brembo]

Terrible news! I was hoping for Feb. to begin races.

[Stormy]

Oh well...

[FerrariF60]

Terrible news! I was hoping for Feb. to begin races.

OR, just have them all year round....ha, ha....with NO break during winter....

i know, i know that's NOT gonna happen and taht would NOT be fair to the driver's and teams...they need a break too...well at least the drivers whereas the teams would would work during that time to prepare the new single seater for following year

[Giallo 550]

Not happy about this. It's bad enough there are three week breaks throughout the calendar and summer break in August.

[wisepie]

Not happy about this. It's bad enough there are three week breaks throughout the calendar and summer break in August.
Can't see how they're going to make the season shorter without dumping a few more classic races, or is that what Bernie has in mind?

[JiruMaranello]

So, the point is to run the races closer to eachother e.g. no 3 weeks in between here and there? I wouldnt mind seeing that although it will leave alot of waiting until the 2016 season starts.

[ManFromMilan]

It will be a long wait until the season kicks off, but so much better with no long waiting periods between races.

[Greig]

Not sure if I would like this or not, would be a long winter but it would be good to have less waiting about in between races.

Edit: It's only a couple of weeks later than the season started this year so probably not really worth caring about.

[Fabulous]

I don't mind too much. It probably means that there will be less time between races, which is good.

[Tifoso]

PLEASE AVOID ALL CAPS TITLES-Thanks TSN MODS

[REDARMYSOJA]

This is getting further away from my 24/7 F1 series idea. :-s

[racingbradley]

PLEASE AVOID ALL CAPS TITLES-Thanks TSN MODS

Mea culpa I was lazy and cut & pasted the original title. :-s

[REDARMYSOJA]

PLEASE AVOID ALL CAPS TITLES-Thanks TSN MODS

PLEASE AVOID ALL CAPS POSTS - Thanks TSN MODS

[Tifoso]

Mea culpa I was lazy and cut & pasted the original title. :-s

Ok, mate. :-)

[Tifoso]

PLEASE AVOID ALL CAPS POSTS - Thanks TSN MODS


@##W@@@!!E#WW!!


:-D

[Hornet]

I think it's fine. Not a huge delay, and hopefully it will help reduce the number of 3 weeks break.

[REDARMYSOJA]

@##W@@@!!E#WW!!


:-D

:wave

[abbottcostello]

This is getting further away from my 24/7 F1 series idea. :-s
So, about 2 weeks later than this year... turns two 3 wk. breaks into 2 wk. breaks...
I'll survive, but I gotta say I'm partial to your 24/7 idea:thumb

[racingbradley]

24/7 F1 heaven if only.:-D
I guess we will be looking for the odd Formula E race to fill in the gaps. The only good thing about FE is knowing most of the drivers. :-)

[AfterLife]

There will be less test too. One of the mid season tests will be deleted for the next year. So a compact schedule for teams taste I think.

[TigerKing]

This would be great for budget. Hopefully Formula E gets a condensed calendar during the winter so F1 fans wont die of boredom during the off season!
Looking forward to a busy 2016 summer!

[TigerKing]

Here's a link with the provisional calendar:
http://www.foxsports.com.au/motor-sport/formula-one/formula-1-2016-schedule-leaked-calendar-of-21-races-across-34-weeks-7-sets-of-races-back-to-back/story-e6frf3zl-1227328202950

I'm not sure how legitimate this is but it claims to be "leaked" AKA FIA sent out a trial balloon.

[KimiBot]

I am just glad that F1 exists. Life without F1 is something that I don`t want to think.

[shamim179]

Not good news. It will make the calendar extremely congested not allowing the drivers or the teams much rest inbetween the different races. Also, it may affect how teams bring their upgrades if there isn't a long enough break between the races. The rumor is that this is Bernie's way of making it impossible for drivers to dip into WEC while driving for F1.

[killer]

They should just say "we want the season to start on (whatever date) FULL STOP". The cost cutting line is getting tiresome and is, IMO, hypocritical--considering we need to light tracks up for night races.

[Rob]

I am just glad that F1 exists. Life without F1 is something that I don`t want to think.

Do you only just watch F1?

[Rob]

If we going to have later start, wonder if we going to get couple more test days? :Hmm

:pray

[KimiBot]

Do you only just watch F1?

Yes, only sport what I follow.

[fratelliferrari]

Yes, only sport what I follow.

You should definitely start watching WEC! Really exciting and Ferrari participate in it as well :-D:clap

[Rob]

Yes, only sport what I follow.

really? Iam Ferrari fan, so any racing series with Ferraris in i will watch. But FIA WEC, is now becoming the fav series, been endurance fan for many years, so now got proper FIA backed Chmapionship,again, happy days. Plus the racing is hard and close. The technology is not the biggest factor either, all LMP1 teams Hybrids but all teams got different approaches/designs for same result, also different engines sizes. Its great. But last but not least, its flat out racing, not fuel saving, no worries for tyres. Just plan flat out racing.

[wisepie]

Motor sport in general is the only sport I'm really interested in and follow, especially F1. WEC has a lot to offer those of us getting a bit disillusioned with what's happening in F1....despite Ferrari's apparent resurgence. I also follow Moto GP, rallying and Touring Cars. I don't like these long gaps between races either, but winter is already too long without F1. And how many proper circuits will be at risk if the season gets compressed?:Hmm

[TigerKing]

But last but not least, its flat out racing, not fuel saving, no worries for tyres. Just plan flat out racing.

Um, Endurance racing is supposed to be tyre management and fuel saving. The drivers do tyre management although it may not seem so. There is no need for the drivers to manage fuel because the FIA is allowing teams to create hybrid technology however they want which allows the cars to use less fuel albeit go faster because the drivers can push (with respect to the tyre deg).

I wouldn't call WEC *flat out* racing but methodical and precise. Formula One is supposed to be the "flat out" racing series so the tyre deg and fuel consumption problems should be solved (by allowing Pirelli to produce longer lasting tyres and reintroducing refueling!)

[Rob]

Um, Endurance racing is supposed to be tyre management and fuel saving. The drivers do tyre management although it may not seem so. There is no need for the drivers to manage fuel because the FIA is allowing teams to create hybrid technology however they want which allows the cars to use less fuel albeit go faster because the drivers can push (with respect to the tyre deg).

I wouldn't call WEC *flat out* racing but methodical and precise. Formula One is supposed to be the "flat out" racing series so the tyre deg and fuel consumption problems should be solved (by allowing Pirelli to produce longer lasting tyres and reintroducing refueling!)

Teams dont have to manage tyres in WEC/Le-mans as they can triple stint the tyres, and still race hard on them. Yes there is deg, but nothing, i mean nothing compared to the "show" we have in F1.

EDIT

Also, at the weekend at Spa we had an all time distance record smashed for a 6hrs race, 1256km (or there abouts), now if they were not racing harder and flatout that wouldnt of happened. Yes the cars are faster too this year, but still that is an amazing record. Which we may never see again. And iam privileged to of watch.

[TigerKing]

Yes the cars are faster too this year, but still that is an amazing record. Which we may never see again. And iam privileged to of watch.

I think they will let the cars run faster. They are allowing the F1 cars go faster in the future so development for WEC should progress. G force is not too high in WEC just yet. I understand what you mean now, the tyres for F1 are shameful when compared to the Michelins in WEC. I want to see a spectacle, not a show, FIA/Bernie/some teams/CVC

[Rob]

I think they will let the cars run faster. They are allowing the F1 cars go faster in the future so development for WEC should progress. G force is not too high in WEC just yet. I understand what you mean now, the tyres for F1 are shameful when compared to the Michelins in WEC. I want to see a spectacle, not a show, FIA/Bernie/some teams/CVC

LMP1 cars have more DF, can corner faster. Just watch some of the footage form Spa and especially at Silverstone, the speeds and direction changes through Becketts at Silverstone, jaw dropping.

[Sriharsha]

LMP1 cars have more DF, can corner faster. Just watch some of the footage form Spa and especially at Silverstone, the speeds and direction changes through Becketts at Silverstone, jaw dropping.
The cars have more downforce but their huge body is what looking like slowing them down. Its quite impressive that with all the heavy body work the LMP1 is slowly but surely catching the F1 cars speed. Its high time FIA and others need to make F1 faster and better if not WEC will pull further away

[Rob]

The cars have more downforce but their huge body is what looking like slowing them down. Its quite impressive that with all the heavy body work the LMP1 is slowly but surely catching the F1 cars speed. Its high time FIA and others need to make F1 faster and better if not WEC will pull further away

The LMP1 cars are smaller than the GT cars. They are not as big as you think, trust me.

[Sriharsha]

The LMP1 cars are smaller than the GT cars. They are not as big as you think, trust me.
but here we are comparing them with the F1 cars thats why i said they are big. :)

[fratelliferrari]

Looks like more people are very enthousiastic about the WEC :clap

http://www.motorsport.com/wec/news/sportscar-racing-has-never-been-better-say-legends

[TigerKing]

But back on track with the early start, i read somewhere that this may allow the calendar to hold 26 races. That would allow the provisional calendar (with Germany and Azeribaijan) plus 5 more races. Meaning, Qatar and Iran would get a bid (heaven forbid) and India may return (somewhere F1 needs to be, not in Azerbai-where?).

[mm154]

The cars have more downforce but their huge body is what looking like slowing them down. Its quite impressive that with all the heavy body work the LMP1 is slowly but surely catching the F1 cars speed. Its high time FIA and others need to make F1 faster and better if not WEC will pull further away

Before group C was banned they were only a few seconds off the F1 pace at the time.

1992 Italian Grand Prix - Pole - Mansell - 1:22.221
1992 500km of Monza - Pole - #1 Peugeot - 1:26.019 (better than the slowest 6 GP qualifiers)

[abbottcostello]

But back on track with the early start, i read somewhere that this may allow the calendar to hold 26 races. That would allow the provisional calendar (with Germany and Azeribaijan) plus 5 more races. Meaning, Qatar and Iran would get a bid (heaven forbid) and India may return (somewhere F1 needs to be, not in Azerbai-where?).
Would be amazed to see a 26 race calendar! :-E